UPDATE: Rocket Lab has delayed the launch to low Earth orbit of a two-stage Electron rocket due to bad weather. The launch will take place from the New Zealand site on Friday at 3:45 a.m. EDT (0745 GMT; 8:45 p.m. local New Zealand time). The mission had been targeted for Wednesday (March 22), but Rocket Lab pushed it back because of bad weather. The mission, named “The Beat Goes On,”will launch a pair of satellites on a dedicated Electron mission for BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) through global launch services provider Spaceflight, Inc.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) will launch a pair of satellites on a dedicated Electron mission for BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) through global launch services provider Spaceflight, Inc., during a launch window that opens on March 22nd., 2023 UTC.

The mission, named “The Beat Goes On,” will launch two of BlackSky’s Gen-2, Earth-imaging satellites from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, and will bring the total number of satellites delivered by Electron to orbit to 159 — Electron will deliver the satellites to a circular 450 km orbit, that will bring the total number of satellites in BlackSky’s constellation to 16.

As a secondary mission, Rocket Lab plans to recover Electron’s first stage after it parachutes back to Earth and splashes down in the ocean. Rocket Lab’s recovery team will retrieve Electron using a customized vessel and transport the stage back to Rocket Lab’s production complex for analysis. Data from this recovered stage will inform Rocket Lab’s ongoing recovery and reuse program.

The pair of high-resolution, multi-spectral, Gen-2 satellites to be launched on Electron will expand BlackSky’s network in space and its offering of real-time geospatial intelligence and monitoring services. BlackSky combines high-resolution images captured by its constellation of microsatellites with its proprietary artificial intelligence software to deliver analytics and insights to industries including transportation, infrastructure, land use, defense, supply chain management, and humanitarian aid.

Rocket Lab founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck, said, “We’re proud to continue playing a key role in building out BlackSky’s growing constellation. We’ve now delivered 9 satellites to orbit for BlackSky since our first launch for them in 2019 and we’re grateful to have been entrusted with their mission once again. Counting down to another mission just six days after a successful launch from LC-2 in Virginia is no mean feat and testament to our team’s experience and dedication to delivering response launch.”

UPDATE: Rocket Lab has delayed the launch to low Earth orbit of a two-stage Electron rocket due to bad weather. The launch will take place from the New Zealand site on Friday at 3:45 a.m. EDT (0745 GMT; 8:45 p.m. local New Zealand time). The mission had been targeted for Wednesday (March 22), but Rocket Lab pushed it back because of bad weather. The mission, named “The Beat Goes On,”will launch a pair of satellites on a dedicated Electron mission for BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) through global launch services provider Spaceflight, Inc.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) will launch a pair of satellites on a dedicated Electron mission for BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) through global launch services provider Spaceflight, Inc., during a launch window that opens on March 22nd., 2023 UTC.

The mission, named “The Beat Goes On,” will launch two of BlackSky’s Gen-2, Earth-imaging satellites from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, and will bring the total number of satellites delivered by Electron to orbit to 159 — Electron will deliver the satellites to a circular 450 km orbit, that will bring the total number of satellites in BlackSky’s constellation to 16.

As a secondary mission, Rocket Lab plans to recover Electron’s first stage after it parachutes back to Earth and splashes down in the ocean. Rocket Lab’s recovery team will retrieve Electron using a customized vessel and transport the stage back to Rocket Lab’s production complex for analysis. Data from this recovered stage will inform Rocket Lab’s ongoing recovery and reuse program.

The pair of high-resolution, multi-spectral, Gen-2 satellites to be launched on Electron will expand BlackSky’s network in space and its offering of real-time geospatial intelligence and monitoring services. BlackSky combines high-resolution images captured by its constellation of microsatellites with its proprietary artificial intelligence software to deliver analytics and insights to industries including transportation, infrastructure, land use, defense, supply chain management, and humanitarian aid.

Rocket Lab founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck, said, “We’re proud to continue playing a key role in building out BlackSky’s growing constellation. We’ve now delivered 9 satellites to orbit for BlackSky since our first launch for them in 2019 and we’re grateful to have been entrusted with their mission once again. Counting down to another mission just six days after a successful launch from LC-2 in Virginia is no mean feat and testament to our team’s experience and dedication to delivering response launch.”

The KSF Space Foundation has recently announced a game-changing solution that could revolutionize the industry — their Jupiter Rocket, which is set to launch the least expensive cubesat missions in history.

KSF Space Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2016 with the goal of advancing space exploration and technology, as well as promoting international cooperation in the industry. The foundation is made up of a team of experienced engineers and scientists, many of whom have worked for major players in the space industry such as NASA and SpaceX. They are also producing their own less expensive cubesat kit model that is designed for education purpose and is ready to fly.

One of the main reasons why small companies and organizations have struggled to launch their own satellites in the past is the high cost of rocket launches. Traditional launch providers such as SpaceX and United Launch Alliance charge millions of dollars for a single launch, which is simply not feasible for many smaller entities. This has led to a bottleneck in the industry, with many innovative ideas and projects being unable to get off the ground due to financial constraints.

This is where the KSF Space Foundation’s Jupiter Rocket comes in. Unlike traditional rockets that are designed for orbital launches, the Jupiter Rocket is a suborbital rocket that is specifically optimized for launching cubesats for hardware cubesat testing purpose heading altitude of 110,000 feet. These smallsats, which typically weigh less than 10 kilograms, are becoming increasingly popular due to their versatility and affordability. However, until now, there hasn’t been a dedicated launch vehicle for cubesats. The rocket is built under a partnership agreement with Kansas University R&D Department at the aerospace engineering school and KSF Space Foundation.

Dr. Mohamed Kayyali, the chairman of KSF Space, said, “The Jupiter Rocket is set to change all of that. By designing a rocket specifically for cubesats, the KSF Space Foundation has been able to drastically reduce the cost of launching these small satellites.”

In fact, they claim that their rocket will be the least expensive rocket launch in history, with prices starting at just $5,000 / 1kg / 1U per launch. This is a game-changer for the industry, as it makes it possible for smaller companies and organizations to launch their own satellites at a fraction of the cost of traditional providers.

The benefits of the Jupiter Rocket go beyond cost savings, however. By having a dedicated launch vehicle for cubesats, the KSF Space Foundation is able to offer more flexibility and customization options to their customers. For example, they can offer more frequent launches, as well as the ability to choose the exact sub-orbit and trajectory for their satellites. This is a level of control that is simply not possible with traditional launch providers, who have to prioritize larger payloads and more complex missions.

The rocket is a two-stage vehicle that is powered by a strong engine that can carry up to 10 kilograms of payload, which is more than enough for most cubesats. The rocket is also designed to be reusable, which further reduces the cost of each launch. The first stage of the rocket is equipped with landing legs and can be recovered after each launch, while the second stage is expendable, the rocket can reach a speed of 3.1 Mach.

The impact of the Jupiter Rocket on the space industry could be significant. By making it more affordable and accessible for smaller companies and organizations to test and launch their own satellites, we could see a wave of innovation and experimentation in the industry. This could lead to new discoveries and breakthroughs in fields like telecommunications, climate monitoring, and scientific research. It could also help to democratize space exploration, making it possible for more people and organizations to participate in this exciting field.

This dedicated launch vehicle for cubesats has the potential to break down the cost barriers that have prevented many smaller companies and organizations from launching their own satellites. With its affordable pricing, flexibility, and reusability, the Jupiter Rocket could usher in a new era of innovation and experimentation in the space industry. I can’t wait to see what exciting breakthroughs and discoveries will come from this game-changing rocket.

To learn more about the KSF Space Foundation’s Jupiter Rocket, visit their website at www.ksf.space

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense (EBAD) recently deployed an experimental payload with the company’s Payload Release Ring (PRR) spacecraft separation system.

The PRR demonstration mission launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on January 31, 2023, and the PRR successfully deployed the payload from D-Orbit’s ION carrier on February 8, 2023.

D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier successfully delivered EBAD’s experiment to LEO. The data gathered from this experiment ensures EBAD’s new spacecraft dispensing products carry the same reliability that the industry is accustomed to with its heritage NEA® release mechanism.

The experiment provided valuable data on the performance of the PRR, which is designed to separate satellites from the launch vehicle or orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). Available in 8-inch, 15-inch, and 24-inch diameters, the PRRs use the NEA® Hold Down & Release Mechanisms (HDRM) and are configured to fasten directly to industry-standard, circular, mounting interfaces, and to satellites up to 800 kg in mass.

Outside of this mission, EBAD has a long history of successful space separation events with its ultra-low shock and high reliability NEA® Hold Down & Release Mechanisms and resettable TiNi Mechanisms, including 187 releases on the James Webb Space Telescope, 80 deployments of the OneWeb satellites, and most recently, the release of the O3b mPower satellites in a 4-Point Mount configuration.

This most recent demonstration focused on the PRR 8-inch diameter and EBAD has several other upcoming flight demonstration missions for its 15-inch and 24-inch diameter PRRs, and its integrated 4-Point Mount Separation System, which also use the flight-proven NEA® HDRMs.

Chad Thompson, president of EBAD, said EBAD’s extensive experience in providing reliable, high-quality products to various missions across markets helps them create a product that clients can rely on, no matter the scale of their mission. He said, “EBAD serves both the satellite and launch vehicle markets, giving us a unique understanding of separation and dispensing systems requirements, which reside at the crossroads of both space markets. Our high volume and vertically integrated production capabilities allow us to deliver reliable payload deployment systems with higher value and significantly shorter lead times.”

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense has been in business for more than 180 years, supplying world-class initiation and separation system products for space programs for more than 60 years. With facilities in Graham, Kentucky., Moorpark, Californnia, and Simsbury, the company delivers mission-critical solutions for satellites (separation and dispensing), human spacecraft, missiles, and launch vehicles, and has the Space industry’s widest array of flight-proven pyrotechnic and non-pyrotechnic separation system solutions.

ST Engineering iDirect’s Mx-DMA® MRC waveform technology will enable Mexican connectivity service provider, Aitelecom/APCO Networks (Aitelecom), to support services on that firm’s new MicroGEO satellites that will be built by satellite manufacturer, Astranis Space Technologies (Astranis).

The satellites and ground infrastructure will deliver critical connectivity for 4G cellular backhaul and enterprise services across Mexico and part of Central America. Deployed on Aitelecom’s existing Dialog® platform, the services will be made available to hundreds of sites across the country and part of Central America.

This agreement further strengthens the long-standing relationship between ST Engineering iDirect and Aitelecom and creates a roadmap for the future which will see the companies evolve together to meet Aitelecom’s current and future requirements.

The demand for cellular backhaul services across Mexico has seen a major surge in recent years. In 2022, more than 74 percent of mobile phone users in Mexico accessed the internet through their mobile phone. By 2027, it is projected that this will rise to around 88 percent [1].

ST Engineering iDirect’s Mx-DMA MRC return technology and GTP acceleration was a critical consideration for Aitelecom as it will enable the company to serve a myriad of use cases in a single return link without making tradeoffs between speed, efficiency and scale. This also lowers their total cost of ownership, while minimizing network configuration complexity and creating flexible connectivity for all LTE/4G types of sites.

Mx-DMA MRC will empower Aitelecom to scale its services while simplifying its operations, sharing capacity seamlessly and very efficiently amongst its user terminals, and satisfying the most demanding throughput requirements presented by its MNO and enterprise customers.

The MicroGEO satellites from U.S.-based Astranis are small and highly capable spacecraft that are designed and manufactured at a rapid pace in comparison with larger GEO satellites, and at a lower cost. These smallsats are slated for launch in Q3 2024 and will enable Aitelecom to go to market rapidly, delivering high-speed, flexible services with advanced ground infrastructure to match.

“We are excited and motivated to take the next step in our company’s evolution towards a fully vertically integrated service provider controlling our own destiny in terms of capacity, technology and service delivery. With ST Engineering iDirect´s Mx-DMA MRC as the focal technology, we are confident that service continuity, quality of service and unparalleled support will be paramount in the delivery of our solutions to our customers.”

Orlando Castillo, CEO of Aitelecom

“We are excited to partner with Aitelecom and ST Engineering iDirect to offer an end-to-end, managed service for our customers. This offering will allow us to expand high-speed coverage throughout Mexico, offering a turnkey service for an affordable price.”

Astranis Chief Commercial Officer, Doug Abts

“The sheer flexibility of Mx-DMA MRC will enable Aitelcom to serve the burgeoning markets in Mexico and Central America in the most operationally and cost optimal manner. Extending our commitment and partnerships with Aitelecom allows them to augment their service delivery to reach new parts of the region.”

Darren Ludington, Regional Vice President, Americas at ST Engineering iDirect

Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., and Astraius Ltd. announced a collaboration to enhance future satellite launch capabilities from Prestwick Spaceport.

With the announcement the companies had a signing ceremony during a visit to the Spaceport by Scottish Government Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism, and Enterprise Ivan McKee.

Prestwick Spaceport, a joint partnership between Glasgow Prestwick Airport and South Ayrshire Council, aims to become Europe’s premier location for carrying small satellites into orbit via “air launch,” a proven technique that enables a rocket to reach space after being launched from an aircraft that has flown out to an ideal location over the ocean.

Spirit and Astraius, both located within Prestwick’s developing space cluster, are working to advance and accelerate the system components and key processes required for the Astraius horizontal launch platform. The U.K. government has made orbital launch a key priority, with the National Space Strategy outlining plans to secure an increased portion of a global space economy expected to be worth £490bn by 2030. The space sector in the U.K. already employs over 45,000 people, with Scotland accounting for one-fifth of that figure.

Scott McLarty, Spirit Senior Vice President, Airbus and Regional/Business Jet Programs, said Spirit’s sites in both Scotland and Northern Ireland are well placed to support and develop a robust and sustainable space sector.

“Spirit is well-positioned to develop new skills and technologies to contribute to the U.K.’s resilience and supply chain in the space sector and support high-value manufacturing regional hubs,” he said. “We are delighted to be working with Astraius to explore opportunities to contribute further to the expansion of the U.K. Space Sector, through the design, manufacturing, integration and testing of aerostructures for launch activities.”

Astraius’ horizontal launch solution leverages the accessibility of C-17 transport aircraft, combining innovative technology with proven delivery platforms that removes the reliance on individually modified aircraft and increases responsiveness. The company brings together an international team with experience in commercial space launch and operations, to offer an affordable solution that caters to the growing demand for payloads designed to carry out a variety of tasks from orbit, such as monitoring climate change and supporting disaster relief efforts.

Astraius Chief Executive Officer Kevin Seymour stated, “This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is the first step in what I’m confident will be a long-term partnership with Spirit AeroSystems. Spirit’s advanced manufacturing expertise and world-class facilities can significantly bolster our development roadmap, bringing together UK engineering excellence with proven horizontal launch technology. With both companies located in Prestwick, Scotland’s largest aerospace cluster, our collaboration is further testament to the proactive and vibrant space ecosystem developing around Prestwick Spaceport.”

On the collaboration between Spirit and Astraius, Minister Ivan McKee commented, “There is great potential and opportunities in the space sector in Scotland with the first orbital launch from Scottish soil due this year. That is why we have identified the sector as a priority in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation. Our ambition is clear, we want to become Europe’s leading space nation by 2030. The signing of this MoU is great news, and it is another positive step in the development of space and aerospace opportunities in Prestwick. Spirit AeroSystems brings a wealth of capability and technologies that can support further growth of the space sector in Scotland, and I am excited about the innovative developments Spirit and Astraius can bring to Prestwick.”

Ian Annett, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the U.K. Space Agency, added, “We are committed to becoming the leading provider of commercial small satellite launches in Europe by 2030 and we welcome the partnership between Spirit AeroSystems and Astraius, which brings Astraius another step closer towards conducting a launch from the U.K. Developing orbital launch capabilities is already helping the space sector to generate growth across science and engineering supply chains, catalyse investment, create new jobs and career paths, and inspire the next generation of space professionals all over the U.K.”

Project Kuiper is Amazon’s LEO satellite network with the mission to bridge the digital divide by providing fast, affordable broadband to communities unserved or underserved by traditional communications technologies.

To use the service, customers will install an outdoor antenna—called a customer terminal—to communicate with satellites passing overhead. Traditionally, this equipment has been too large, too complex and too expensive for many customers, making it difficult for LEO constellations to bridge the digital divide in a meaningful way.

Project Kuiper plans to serve tens of millions of customers, so the company set an ambitious goal at the start of the project: design a customer terminal that costs less than $500 to build. Project Kuiper engineers hit that milestone in 2020, inventing a new antenna architecture that was smaller and lighter than traditional designs. Since then, the team has continued to innovate to make its terminal designs even smaller, more affordable, and more capable.

Amazon has now provided a first look at three engineering models that will anchor its customer terminal portfolio:

• An affordable high-performance design for residential and small business customers: Project Kuiper’s standard customer terminal measures less than 11 inches square and 1 inch thick. It weighs less than five pounds without its mounting bracket. Despite this modest footprint, the device will be one of the most powerful commercially available customer terminals of its size, delivering speeds up to 400 megabits per second (Mbps). Amazon expects to produce these terminals for less than $400 each.

• An ultra-compact design to help connect even more customers: A 7-inch square design will be Project Kuiper’s smallest and most affordable customer terminal. Weighing just 1 pound and offering speeds up to 100 Mbps, its portability and affordability will create opportunities to serve even more customers around the world. This design will connect residential customers who need an even lower-cost model, as well as government and enterprise customers pursuing applications like ground mobility and internet of things (IoT).

• A high-bandwidth design for the most demanding needs: Project Kuiper’s largest, most capable model is designed for enterprise, government, and telecommunications applications that require even more bandwidth. The device measures 19 inches by 30 inches, and will deliver speeds up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).

“Our goal with Project Kuiper is not just to connect unserved and underserved communities, but also to delight them with the quality, reliability, and value of their service. From day one, every technology and business decision we’ve made has centered on what will deliver the best experience for different customers around the world, and our range of customer terminals reflects those choices.”

Rajeev Badyal, Amazon’s Vice President of Technology for Project Kuiper

Project Kuiper customer terminals are powered by an Amazon-designed baseband chip, developed under the code name “Prometheus.” Prometheus combines the processing power of a 5G modem chip found in modern smartphones, the capability of a cellular base station to handle traffic from thousands of customers at once, and the ability of a microwave backhaul antenna to support powerful point-to-point connections—and it packs all of that into a single custom chip.

In addition to being in Project Kuiper’s customer terminals, Prometheus is also used in Project Kuiper’s satellites and ground gateway antennas, allowing the system to process up to 1 terabit per second (Tbps) of traffic on board each satellite.

Preparing to offer commercial service
Amazon has built and shipped hundreds of millions of devices for customers, including best-selling, low-cost products such as Echo Dot and Fire TV Stick. Project Kuiper is applying that experience to its customer terminal design and production processes, and the team is already scaling its infrastructure in anticipation of building tens of millions of units for customers.

Project Kuiper is also preparing to deploy its first two prototype satellites on the first flight of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket. The upcoming mission will help Project Kuiper engineers gain real-world data on how the systems perform in space and let them test the entire end-to-end communications network.

In parallel, Project Kuiper is scaling operations in preparation for offering commercial service. The team recently began development of a dedicated satellite production facility in Kirkland, Washington, and expects to begin mass-producing satellites by the end of 2023.

Project Kuiper expects to launch the first production satellites in the first half of 2024 and plans to give its earliest customers access to the service beginning later that year.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) will launch a pair of satellites on a dedicated Electron mission for BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) through global launch services provider Spaceflight, Inc., during a launch window that opens on March 22nd., 2023 UTC.

The mission, named “The Beat Goes On,” will launch two of BlackSky’s Gen-2, Earth-imaging satellites from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, and will bring the total number of satellites delivered by Electron to orbit to 159 — Electron will deliver the satellites to a circular 450 km orbit, that will bring the total number of satellites in BlackSky’s constellation to 16.

As a secondary mission, Rocket Lab plans to recover Electron’s first stage after it parachutes back to Earth and splashes down in the ocean. Rocket Lab’s recovery team will retrieve Electron using a customized vessel and transport the stage back to Rocket Lab’s production complex for analysis. Data from this recovered stage will inform Rocket Lab’s ongoing recovery and reuse program.

The pair of high-resolution, multi-spectral, Gen-2 satellites to be launched on Electron will expand BlackSky’s network in space and its offering of real-time geospatial intelligence and monitoring services. BlackSky combines high-resolution images captured by its constellation of microsatellites with its proprietary artificial intelligence software to deliver analytics and insights to industries including transportation, infrastructure, land use, defense, supply chain management, and humanitarian aid.

Rocket Lab founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck, said, “We’re proud to continue playing a key role in building out BlackSky’s growing constellation. We’ve now delivered 9 satellites to orbit for BlackSky since our first launch for them in 2019 and we’re grateful to have been entrusted with their mission once again. Counting down to another mission just six days after a successful launch from LC-2 in Virginia is no mean feat and testament to our team’s experience and dedication to delivering response launch.”

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has successfully launched its 34th Electron rocket and second mission from its launch site on Wallops Island, Virginia, deploying two spacecraft to LEO for Capella Space.

The “Stronger Together” mission lifted off at 22:38 UTC, March 16th, 2023, from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. Rocket Lab successfully deployed two 100 kg class Capella Space satellites to LEO.

“Congratulations to Capella Space and well done to the Rocket Lab team for another flawless launch from Virginia,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “This year we’re really picking up the launch pace so while one Electron was on the pad at Launch Complex 2 for Capella Space, the team in New Zealand has been preparing the next rocket at Launch Complex 1 to enable two launches from two continents within days of each other. Dedicated and responsive space access for small sats is here now, made possible by Electron.”

“Stronger Together” is Rocket Lab’s second mission from Launch Complex 2, following the Company’s first mission from U.S. soil in January of 2023. Launch Complex 2 supplements Rocket Lab’s first launch site, Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, from which the Company has launched 32 Electron missions since 2017. Launch Complex 2 was built to provide dependable and responsive launch access for Rocket Lab’s U.S. government and commercial customers and its own Mission Control Center, Integration and Control Facility (ICF) with payload processing facilities and 100k class cleanrooms, and a vehicle integration bay capable of processing multiple Electron rockets at once to support rapid launches in quick succession. Electron is already the most prolific dedicated small launch vehicle globally and, with Launch Complexes 1 and 2 now fully operational, Rocket Lab can support as many as 130 flight opportunities every year.

Rocket Lab’s next scheduled mission is a dedicated launch for Spaceflight Inc. customer BlackSky, a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence and global monitoring services. The mission is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand during a launch window that opens in March 2023.

Other upcoming disclosed Electron missions in 2023 include two launches for the NASA TROPICS constellation, the first of five dedicated missions for Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity provider Kinéis; several additional launches for Capella Space, and the launch of a mission to demonstrate space debris removal technology by Astroscale Japan.

2nd Update information posting…

Based on the weather forecast this week, Rocket Lab has set a new no earlier than launch date for the upcoming mission from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 in Virginia for Capella Space. Here are the details.

Stronger Together

• Launch date: Wednesday March 15

• Launch timing: 6:00-8:00 p.m. Eastern, with lift-off targeted for 6:00 p.m.

Launch location: Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2, Wallops Island, Virginia.

The mission will be Rocket Lab’s second Electron launch from Launch Complex 2 on Wallops Island, Virginia. Stronger Together will carry two 100-kg class satellites for Capella Space, a leading provider of commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery.  

Previous update posting…

Unfavorable weather conditions required Rocket Lab to cancel the March 11th launch of the Capella Space SAR smallsats… a new launch date will be announced shortly and the company has an open window for such activity throughout this coming week.

Original information posting…

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has scheduled their next Electron launch from Virginia during a launch window that opens on March 11, 2023, ET.

The “Stronger Together” mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) on Wallops Island, Virginia, for Capella Space, a provider of commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. The mission will be Rocket Lab’s second launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility following on the Company’s successful inaugural mission from LC-2 on January 24, 2023.

“Stronger Together” will deploy two,100 kg class satellites to LEO and expand the existing Capella Space SAR constellation, increasing imaging capacity to meet growing customer demand. Capella Space SAR satellites are able to gather images of Earth any time of the day, in any weather as well as penetrate conditions that include clouds, fog, smog, darkness and smoke.

Supporting Rocket Lab’s vertical integration strategy, Rocket Lab will also supply Capella Space with two of the Company’s own Motorized Lightbands; separation systems designed to separate the Capella satellites from Electron once in orbit. Rocket Lab has launched for Capella previously with the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical” mission in August of 2020, when Electron successfully deployed to orbit Capella’s first satellite in that firm’s SAR constellation.

This upcoming launch is one of five missions for Capella Space scheduled to start launching on Electron this year, following the recently-announced multi-launch deal securing four rapid succession launches for Capella from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. However, there is the option for Capella to move any of these missions to Launch Complex 2 should that be needed to meet Capella’s requirements – the type of responsive and flexible launch solution that Rocket Lab can provide by operating three orbital launch pads across two continents.

Members of the public wanting to watch Electron’s upcoming launch from Virginia can visit nearby viewing locations in Accomack County, Virginia, such as Robert Reed Park and Curtis Merrit Harbor on Chincoteague Island. The Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Atlantic beaches also provide good viewing locations.

A live launch webcast will also be available at this direct link from around T-20 minutes.